Golfers continuously strive for the perfect swing to achieve an accurate and powerful drive that sends the ball a long distance in a straight line toward the target green or hole. To realize this goal, golfers typically engage in practice and exercise sessions to improve their technique and to increase the strength and muscle memory used in various techniques. Golfers may simply practice their swings in the back yard or they may utilize a place designed especially for practicing, such as a driving range. Similarly, they may simply practice with their regular golf clubs or they may use some sort of club or other device specially designed for practice and exercise. A wide variety of devices have been developed for the purpose of training the golf swing of the golfer.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to devices for training the swing of a golfer. U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,101 issued on Oct. 31, 1967, to Bishop et al. teaches a golf swing practice device having a pad with a tee area and a simulated captive ball member therein. A curved line represents the ground trace of the swing of the club extending to the tee area. A resilient upright member is wound on a reel for vertical adjustment located along this line and represents a vertical point on the swing path of the club.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,012, issued on Nov. 16, 1976, to I. R. Campbell describes a device for analyzing the swing of a golf club. This device has a base with a ball support area. Side spin detectors are located above the base with their free ends adjacent the ball support area for contact by a club head as it passes over the ball support area in a swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,479, issued on Sep. 15, 1987, to R. P. McGwire describes a self-contained detachable device for selective attachment to a golf club to provide a visual indication of the position of the golf club during the swing. A cylindrical housing, which has a light bulb attached thereto, provides a directed beam of light extending outwardly from the housing. The light beam provides illumination of a well-defined path over the surface surrounding the golf ball during the back swing and the forward swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,450, issued on Mar. 27, 1990, to B. Rabold shows a device used to teach and practice a golf swing. This device includes a short shaft having a club head on one end and a grip on the other end. A grip end light is mounted in the grip to produce a light that is co-linear with the longitudinal axis of the shaft. A club head light is mounted in the club head to provide a light that is directly below the club head bottom edge and is oriented at ninety degrees to the bottom edge of the club head so that the club head light is located centrally between the heel and toe directly beneath the club head. A swing track includes paths to be traversed by the grip end light and the club head light during the various phases of the golf swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,683, issued on Nov. 24, 1992, to Beutler et al. shows a golf swing training device that includes a blade having a sufficient width and rigidity to generate air resistance during a representative swing motion. This blade is designed to fold during the upswing motion and to flatten during the downswing motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,603, issued on May 11, 1993, to D. C. Sabin provides a portable battery-operated video camera and recorder system that allows one to make a video recording of a golf swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,192, issued on Aug. 17, 1993, to B. H. Pitzel shows a golf swing training device that comprises a club shaft, one end having a grip and the other end having a generally U-shaped member to which a removable flat panel is attached. The training club is swung like a standard club and is used to simulate striking a ball with a square face, without the use of a golf ball. Because of its size, the panel provides a visible indication of the position of the club in the hands of the user so as to allow the user to make immediate adjustments in the course of the swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,278, issued on Dec. 28, 1993, to R. Becker describes a golf club having an audio feedback device to provide an audible indication of the speed of movement of the club.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,796, issued on Mar. 29, 1994, to J. R. Peterson discloses a visual monitoring system for a golfer to simultaneously watch his golf swing while the swing is being made. One or more video cameras and video monitoring screens are mounted below a transparent surface where the swing is being made with a golf club for viewing the swing without distorting the head of the golfer during the golf swing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf swing training device that provides immediate feedback of the swing path.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a golf swing training device that enhances the ability of the golfer to correct his or her swing by comparing the swing to an ideal swing path.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a golf swing training device that enhances the "muscle memory" of the golfer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a golf swing training device that is portable, easy to use, economical, and suitable for indoor and/or outdoor practice.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a golf swing training device that reduces the need for golfing instructors.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.